Neighboring contractor picks up stalled U.S. 290 work

Road construction is seen along U.S. 290 at Hollister on June 19. A Woodlands-based contractor, part of a larger Mexican company, has defaulted on its part of the big U.S. 290 expansion project and left the site with the job unfinished. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

State transportation officials and the surety company responsible for bonding construction have agreed to turn over work on a key piece of the U.S. 290 rebuilding project to a company already working along the highway.

Road construction is seen along U.S. 290 at Hollister on June 19. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

“We appreciate the public’s patience and are looking forward to continuing work,” said Quincy Allen, head of TxDOT’s Houston office, in a news release.

The $153 million is expected to remain on budget, leading to no additional cost for taxpayers, transportation officials said. Because of the enormity of the widening job — which adds lanes and rebuilds numerous intersections and interchanges between Loop 610 and Waller — delays on the portion northwest of Pinemont will not affect the road’s completion. Widening of the freeway is scheduled to end in late 2017. The final, northern segment of the project — divided into 13 areas — was awarded in June.